Birds of a Feather
by Trilies
Summary: As one of the best soldiers in the entire kingdom, it's only natural that Lal Mirch would go to pick up the seeress for an annual fortune telling of the kingdom's future. And more than that, they've been friends much longer than their duties. Lal Mirch's more romantic feeling have nothing to do with this. Of course. KHR Rarepair Week 2019


"Oh, _Lal_," Luce gushes almost immediately, black and white wings fluttering against her back. "What have you been up to now?"

For all that the matriarch of the Giglio Nero brood says that, she certainly seems to have a bucket of water and clean cloth on hand when she fusses Lal Mirch into sitting down. The soldier sighs but obliges her, stretching out her talons and all the feathers of her legs in front of her. If there's one thing to say about Luce's territory, it's that there is plenty of space for her to sit down. Most flocks tend to prefer wider spaces, where the trees are stretched out among one another for better nest and town building, and so most need to find boulders or carve benches for sitting on the ground. Here in this forest, things are done quite differently. The trees grow thick and close, making it difficult for those with larger wingspans like herself to navigate so easily. Even the roots curl up out of the ground, curling and arching, so that traversing the ground has its own difficulties. It's a twisting and complicated place, with lots of secrets.

Perfect for the Giglio Nero.

There are probably plenty of secrets hidden away in the depths of this forest, things lost to the time outside of it. In that way, it mirrors its inhabitants, or maybe it's the other way around. Like the verdant leaves thriving over their heads and the sweet smell of flowers hanging thick in the air, one would never think it looking at Luce. Her smile is subtle but patient as she dips a cloth into the water, wringing it out firmly before sliding it down the hard scales of Lal Mirch's calf. The blood and bits of gore stain it red instantly. Luce clicks her tongue a little when she sees how red the water is just pouring off of her. "Now who did you fight so near to my home?"

"Calling it a fight is giving them too much credit," Lal Mirch says bluntly, resisting the urge to lean back and let her eyes slip shut. Luce's tone is better than some songbirds, and she preens better than anyone else Lal Mirch knows. "It was just someone who thought they could do a sneak attack on the kingdom's seer while she was being escorted. That they thought no one else would think of something that obvious is a disgrace."

"Now now, I'm sure they must have done fine by normal standards," Luce says obligingly enough. She does another sweep of Lal Mirch's leg and the corresponding talons, watering down everything so that she can focus on the parts that are sticking or staining. Some of the younger generation of Harpy Eagles think that it's trendy to have the blood of their prey or their enemies stain their talons. It's just another young generation thinking something is cool. For her part, Lal Mirch finds it unhygienic and not much of a trophy. Anyone can gut a rabbit with their feet. "Was it one of ours, or from one of the neighboring kingdoms?"

"Ours." Lal Mirch curls her lip in distaste. "They probably thought they could hold the kingdom ransom, or something idiotic like that. If someone had cracked through our information defense, Mammon would be either getting too old or one of the other kingdoms would be more disastrous than we've given them credit for."

A tinkling laugh leaves Luce's lips, and she pauses in her self appointed task for a moment so that she can lean forward with her arms crossed over Lal Mirch's knee. "Don't say that, Lal. We've all gotten quite old."

She looks really delicate this way, head resting on her arms, those brilliant blue eyes shining up at Lal Mirch to match that coy smile. It's tempting to reach down and run her fingers through Luce's hair, enjoy the moment. Things have really changed since all of them were young together: Luce, her, Mammon, Fon, Reborn, Skull, Verde. When they were all younger, they had all the time in the world to be with one another, except that's not what any of them were thinking about at the time. They were thinking about being better, about being the _best_. Nowadays, with so much responsibility on her shoulders, Lal wonders when she even has a time to breathe. Maybe that's the wisdom of getting older: being able to look back at all the things she didn't even think to do.

One day, their age will hit them all at once, and that will be that. They're a surprisingly long lived race, after all, although not as old as some of the mer can be, but nothing is immortal. Not even them.

Still, Lal Mirch won't let herself regret anything. She won't let her professionalism waver either, so she bites back her desire and instead lightly taps her knuckles against the top of Luce's head. "Do you want me to pick up the slack so you can get ready? We can't just stay here while you nap the day away."

"How cruel."

"You're right, it was out of line of me. You're not Skull."

Luce's laugh is startled in its suddenness. "Cruel!" Still, she straightens up again and gets right back to work cleaning away the gore which is already mostly cleared from one leg. The other goes shortly after, although that one isn't as bad. For Lal Mirch, she only needs one foot to crush another creature's skull. Hell, she even only needs one hand, which not many others in the various flocks of the kingdom can claim. Harpy Eagles are second to none in this aspect, as far as she can tell. Hastily dipping her own fingertips clean of the gore. "I suppose I should extend my gratitude to you, shouldn't I?"

Curling and stretching her talons, Lal Mirch blinks down at her. "For what?"

Rising up to her feet, Luce winks at her. "For being my knight in shining armor, protecting me against those who would do me harm to satisfy their own greed."

Oh. Wanting to blush and aggressively not going to, Lal Mirch scoffs. "I was doing my duty, Luce. You know that. Besides." Getting up as well, she uses her own height to glower down at her friend and charge with a good cross of her arms. "We both know that the Giglio Nero brood are some of the most difficult in the entire kingdom to kill, especially in their own territory."

"Now now. We're nothing compared to your skill," Luce says, not very convincingly on account of how she's not trying very hard with Lal Mirch. They both know that she's telling the truth. It's true that the Giglio Nero brood isn't the most combat prepared or talented. Most of those related to Luce by direct bloodline can't even fly, at least high or for extended periods of time. That's a problem amongst fighters of their own race. Even outside the kingdom, it's common knowledge that a favorite tactic of guerilla warfare birds or utter assholes is to swoop down, grab their prey, go as high as they can, and drop the poor fuck to their death. Lal Mirch will even admit that she's done it a few times, when the overall victory was more important than a personal and more honorable one for herself. Yet that same thing which would be a problem in the open air for her lineage is absolutely perfect for such tight quarters. In the small amount of areas where the average bird could fly, well...

The problem with trying to fight against genuine seers is that they always see you coming. Alongside powerful forces such as Lal Mirch and even those such as Fon or Reborn, there's never been a larger force which would overwhelm even careful planning... but Lal Mirch has no doubt that their clever friend could organize things carefully if she really tried. No one knows the long haul better than the women of the Giglio Nero.

Either way, she gestures to the side. "Let's just finish things up. I'd rather get us going before night fall. None of us have Verde's eyes, so it's better to get a move on sooner than later."

"You worry too much. He should be arriving soon anyway." Lal Mirch doesn't even get a chance ask who 'he' would be. Instead, there's the sound of clumsy talons on smooth wood, and Luce gestures to her while hauling up the bucket of bloody water in her other hand. She follows along, trusting Luce to get them through all the thick vegetation and to the very start of the plainly carved bridges which make up the majority of public paths. For all that they're secretive, the Giglio Nero do take into consideration some visitors, even if those visitors never really see the true depths and homes that they dwell in. Once the bridge is in view, Lal Mirch can see just who Luce was expecting. It's a young man, mussed up hair just a tinge red, and he has the same bloodshot eyes of just about every academic, scientist, and scholar that Lal Mirch has gotten to know. The spectacles barely clinging to his nose only strengthen the impression. He doesn't seem used to the straight paths of the bridges, or really walking for so long in general, which Lal Mirch can sympathize with. Luce and the rest of the chickens of the Giglio Nero brood aren't the only birds who prefer land to air, and those types always seem to have better endurance for this sort of thing. Of course, it probably doesn't help that he's carrying an armful of various things, packages stuffed on top of books stuffed inside of boxes. Two of Luce's Cervello attendants are accompanying him, carrying burdens of their own much more easily, and watching their companion with a lot more interest than Lal Mirch had thought they were capable of in anyone outside of Luce's family. What's most interesting to Lal Mirch, however, are the large gray wings which poke out over his shoulders even with how tightly wound they are agains this back. Even at this angle, she can assess the type without needing to poke or prod. In contrast to her own dark gray wings, his are a little more pale and a bit more solidly colored.

Raising an eyebrow, she leans in a little closer to Luce so that her voice isn't overheard. "You managed to find a grey parrot who would work for you?" She'd noticed that the Giglio Nero brood were managing to keep up surprisingly well with the times, despite their somewhat isolated living, but it's a surprise to see a grey parrot who would tolerate conditions like this. They're a lot... pickier, from what she understands.

Luce doesn't answer her right away, only flashing her a smile before she raises her hands. "Hello, Shoichi! You have some of my luggage, I assume?"

Jolting a little bit, Shoichi blinks over to her. "Oh, Matriarch Luce- yeah, this isn't all for you, I just- two fish with one hook, I was on my way. You know?" Lal Mirch certainly doesn't know, because she suspects he forgot part of a sentence. Luce simply nods and smiles, which could mean a lot of things. "Anyway, yeah, here are your clothes, I think, plus some of the other things you requested. For your, uh. Trip?" He doesn't sound entirely too certain about what's even going on, which is sort of surprising. Lal Mirch expects him to straighten up a little once he realizes who she is... But no dice. Instead, his gaze flicks over at her blank and uncomprehending. He most _definitely_ doesn't know who she is. She has a sneaking suspicion he doesn't even know what type of bird she is, or possibly even that she's existing in the actual physical plane of reality.

"Thank you, dear," Luce says, reaching over with one hand to take her bag while the other tucks Shoichi's hair out of his face. "Now make sure to get some rest. You look horrible."

Apparently no one has said this so bluntly to him before, because he blinks a few times at her before silently nodding. To the side, one of the Cervello women takes the bags from her kin's arm and goes to Luce's opposite side. Her double stays with Shoichi, apparently to monitor his ability to stay coherent. As the pair return back to the many walkways of the forest, Lal Mirch lets Luce lead them back out along to the forest proper. She hasn't said anything, but Luce still says, "He's fine, really, I think he's just going through an anxious spell. He's having some romance troubles, from what I understand."

"And he hasn't slept," the Cervello says quietly besides her.

"And he hasn't slept." Luce beams over to Lal Mirch. "I hope to surprise Verde with an introduction one day. He seems like someone who could keep up with everything Verde is." Now that's certainly some high praise. Maybe Lal Mirch will return one day to see just what's so special about him, assuming she can ever find the time. For now, they lapse back into silence, with things hardly seeming to have changed much despite the addition of Luce's attendant following along closely.

It's a comfortable silence, leaving Lal Mirch to think about the long journey back. Taking Luce to the capital isn't really necessary. If those in charge really wanted the comfort of a general good fortune told to them, the least they could do would be to visit the forest themselves, or a halfway point, where she could look into the general flow of time for the kindom's benefit. Yet those who like to imagine themselves the ones in charge never do. Lal Mirch finds it revolting, personally. That's what a life of comfort and power does, even to the ones who aren't actually greedy and self-serving. She's certain that if they knew her ability could be more precise, of what the Giglio Nero could really do...

"Oh." Luce's voice cuts through Lal Mirch's thoughts, making her glance down out of the corner of her eye. "That's right. I almost forgot, but I do have something for you, Lal." Adjusting the bag that's hanging from the crook of her arm, she starts to go through it. She doesn't have to dig very deep before she's pulling out a small pouch. The Giglio Nero brood's territory isn't known for the most brilliant or complex crafts. However, that doesn't mean their craftspeople are talentless. The pouch is small but made out of fine leather, both in the pouch itself and in its drawstrings. Whatever is inside it isn't very heavy.

Curious despite herself, Lal Mirch accepts it. "Can I open it now...?"

There's a smile. "You can open it whenever you like." Well, that's one way to make Lal Mirch decide never to open it where Luce can see, but her wary glower only makes the woman laugh. "Now don't tell me you're getting the same paranoid bad habit that Reborn has!"

"It's not paranoid _or_ a bad habit," Lal Mirch counters, "when I know for a fact that you're the type who would giggle your head off if I had a stronger reaction than a simple bland 'thank you'."

"Perhaps," Luce says cheerfully, which isn't a denial. Reaching up, she brushes her fingertips up Lal Mirch's jaw and along her cheek. Deep inside her chest, her heart tightens up and she swears she can feel a trail of warmth where her fingers once were. "Still. Things such as this really are some of your charm points, my dear."

One day, she'll grow immune to words like that coming out of Luce's mouth. Today, instead, she wraps her calloused palm around Luce's much softer one, and pulls it away from her face with no small amount of reluctance deep down in the pit of her stomach. "You're a sadist," she informs her.

Taking advantage of Lal's grip on her hand, Luce pulls it down to flutter a kiss to her knuckles. "I tease because I really do care," she says, as if she isn't aware of the furious flush going across Lal Mirch's face. She does laugh when Lal yanks her hand away, however, just in time for them to arrive at the carriage specifically made for land birds such as Luce. It's only when she's launched herself high up into the sky as a proper aerial guard does Lal take a moment to open her gift. It's a bracelet of some sort of resin or amber... and, nestled deep within the clear material, is the black and white feather that Lal Mirch knows is from one of Luce's own wings. For some, it's the sort of thing which acts as a gift of good luck. For others, a reminder of romance. Lal Mirch reminds herself to be professional.

She wears the bracelet beneath her jacket sleeve regardless.

* * *

Author's Note:

Mist Day : Wingfic AU

god i fucking love birds

i love matching characters up to birds

I had to physically restrain myself from making this a huge thing, like "molten veins" was, but be assured I thought a lot about this AU

anyway, Lal Mirch obviously has the wings and grip of a harpy eagle, while Luce has the wings of a silver laced polish chicken. the Cervello are a different breed of very fancy chicken but I forgot to write down which breed, so, don't worry about it.


End file.
